Dunluce

Keith, it’s AA Crack where I saw them but I have no knowledge of the leather and how it feels or performs

I want to make a good quality tote bag with rolled handles. I have been looking at Badalassi Pueblo or Waxy. Has anyone out there used then and can give me their opinion for this use? I would listen to any other recommendations but want something readily available here in the UK.

I read this with interest as i have a friend who wants me to make him a guitar strap as described above; cut to length with no adjustment. I appreciate soft leather might feel better but my concern is that it will stretch over time both in length and where he holes are punched out for attaching to the guitar. My thought is to take two strips of softish leather about 1.5mm (4oz) thick and glue them together. I will have a strip of reinforcement tape in the middle.to help prevent stretch and a piece of stiffish leather inserted at each end to provide support where the holes are punched. Any thoughts on this or can anyone recommend a suitable leather?

The bag is for my other half and she cannot be bothered with doing and undoing straps so the buckle is purely decorative. The whole buckle and strap section is one piece with a magnetic catch underneath. If you look at the second photo you can just see some stitches underneath the strap where the opposing magnet on the bag is located

It’s just Fiebings Edge Kote. I suppose like others we try different ways when slicking edges but basically it was; Bevel the edge, dye the edge and let it dry Slick the edge a couple of times with a light sanding of 400 grit in between Apply the edge kote, let dry and slick Repeat, again with a light sanding in between For sticking the gusset to the body I tried different things but it always seemed to crinkle. I saw somewhere about cutting a small vee at the peak of the curve so that’s what i did (after skiving) and that worked for me. You can see a small line where the cut was bit it isn’t noticeable especially after stitching and edge kite

My first time trying a side gusset like this on a bag. It took me about 4 or 5 goes to get it to work.

A work colleague bought a bunch of old tools and there were some leather work ones in the box. One mystery is the tool below; we don’t even know if it is for leatherwork but I thought I would give it a go here. The two pictures are self explanatory as to how it works. Looks to me like you insert it and then use the lever to expand the hole?

I have the same problem. I went and got a sawn section of tree where they had been cutting in a local park. It’s about 40mm in diameter and 20mm deep. It wasn’t quite even but I stuck some bits of thick leather on the bottom to stabilise it and they also help absorb the blows and deaden sound. It’s a great punching surface and it was free. i don’t know where you are in London but I got mine at Hackney Marshes just the other side of the Olympic Park. If you walk along the path adjacent to the river Lea there are loads of cut logs, you should be able to find one that suits. A word or warning, try and take some thing to carry it in they are deceptively heavy (that’s what makes it a good surface). I took a sack barrow.

Very clean, I like this a lot.

Thanks JCUK, I will have a good look at them later. While I am on here, since you have had your machine an it is still performing well how do you sharpen your blade?

When you say a lap skive do you mean a tapered skive like used when joining two leather strips together? The reason I ask is that I have been looking at getting one of these and I believe the 86a will do this. I don’t think I would need the extra two inch width the (substantially dearer) 84 offers

Well,decilhide that seems to clear up my original question. It’s good to see someone selling these tools in the UK. I have me eye on one or two things and will be in touch soon.

Why not use a small piece of your leather and trial a couple of different thread sizes to see which you like the look of best. Usually a #2 saddlers needle is used with larger sizes and a #4 with smaller

Hmmm, apologies if it was felt that I implied something. I didn’t mean to.

I would be surprised if they were fraudulent as the way I came across them was in the recent edition of 'Waxing the Thread' magazine and that they have an active Facebook site. That said the website does not fill me with confidence. Even if it is rebranded (quality) Chinese stuff I wouldn't mind as sometimes the cheaper price doesn't look so cheap once the import tax is added.

I came across Black Mountains Leather recently. They have some nice looking tools and but I don’t know anything about them (the site is very sparse on words and descriptions). I am wondering if anyone out there have used them or any of their tools, particularly their pricking irons. You can find them at https://www.blackmountainsleather.com/

I like it. The stitching is maybe a bit large but it suits the wallet

Ian Atkinson (Leodis Leather) also does a simpler patttern than the folded edge one. It isa lot cheaper and has a few options for build. A a six slot bifold is one of these. It is well explained and has an accompanying video

If you are determined to have 6 slots in a row how about doing it this way

Phil, i tried on my laptop and iPad. It was better on the laptop but was still slow. On the iPad some page just failed to load at all.

Philip, i htought I would have a look at your site and from what I see it looks interesting . Your free backstitch video was well explained . However I have found the site quite glitchy. Some pages takes ages to load and sometimes they only partially load then stop. I’m not criticising but just making you aware that it may put people off. I don’t know if anyone else had the same problem

Lie most others here I have tried several different threads but it is only with Tiger thread that I am more prone to the problem of stabbing the thread. I am not sure why but it is what it’s is. In addition actuallly prefer the way a round thread site especially with the ‘slanted’ style of stitching.

This reminds me on going to Petticoat Lane market in London years ago to buy a leather jacket. I found the smell of the leather really overpowering in the warehouse section of the market that sold the jackets. I was told later , by someone in the know, that they sprayed the jackets with gas canisters at the start of the day to give that ‘leather’ smell

Zuludog, yes there is a British supplier. It is Artisan leather at http://www.artisanleather.co.uk Be aware there is a notice on the site at present announcing the owner is sick and no orders will be taken until early October but you can still have a look at what they have got. I have always found them helpful and a quick service. At present they have 0.45 and 0.65 mm. And it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than Tiger thread.

I just bought some Amy Rose polyester thread and I like the way it sews and how it sits . Maybe it’s just me but I seem to have a problem with Tiger thread in that I keep catching it with the opposite needle when I an stitching and end up sewing through the middle of the thread. I don’t do that anywhere near as much with any other type of thread.